7 Greatest Moments From the Infinity Gauntlet Saga, Ranked

Lauded by many as the greatest event in Marvel Comics history, Infinity Gauntlet forever changed the game. Created by Jim Starlin, George Perez, and Ron Lim in 1991, this epic saga saw the heroes of Earth face their greatest challenge ever as the Mad Titan Thanos acquired the Infinity Gauntlet. Powered by the six Infinity Stones, the Gauntlet made Thanos an unstoppable villain who ravages the universe. Infinity Gauntlet is one of the most monumental and best-selling comics of all time, and its legacy is still felt today. Filled with immense spectacle, drama, tension, and heart, these are the moments in Infinity Gauntlet that made it the gold standard of major comic book events.

Few storylines encapsulate everything that makes Marvel Comics great as a company like Infinity Gauntlet does. Not only did it impact the comic book industry, but it’s well known for serving as the backbone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Three, which is considered by many to be the best in the franchise. Although significant deviations were made when adapting it to film, the original Infinity Gauntlet storyline remains a masterpiece, with plenty of iconic moments that influenced the movies.

7) Farmer Thanos

With all the death and destruction Thanos caused throughout the universe, the last thing anyone expected the Mad Titan to do after the Infinity Gauntlet saga was to retire on a farm. Thanos had faked his own death after his loss and moved to a peaceful planet. The current wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet, Adam Warlock, knows of Thanos’ trickery and meets the villain on his farm. Adam asks Thanos how to wield the infinite power of the Gauntlet, and the Mad Titan only replies that he must “Endure or surrender it.” Thanos also says that he’s staying on the farm because he needs time to reflect and recuperate after his defeat. Even though Thanos wasn’t punished, the moment is a unique and introspective look into the villain’s psyche.

6) Nebula Steals the Gauntlet

When Thanos defeats the heroes of Earth and usurps the gods, all seemed lost. However, the savior and a potential destroyer arrived in the form of Nebula. The adoptive daughter of Thanos, Nebula, was turned into a disgusting undead creature as a way for the Mad Titan to impress Lady Death. Even in this state, Nebula finds the strength to snatch the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos when he is distracted. With the Gauntlet, Nebula heals herself and banishes Thanos into space. However, the Infinity Gauntlet saga was far from over, as Nebula began to go mad from the omnipotence the Gauntlet granted her. Still, Nebula having her revenge was an extremely surprising and cathartic moment.

5) Thanos vs Cosmic Gods

The Infinity Gauntlet grants the user godhood, giving them complete mastery over all space, time, power, minds, souls, and reality. After Thanos defeated Earth’s heroes, he needed to use the Gauntlet at full power to face off against the strongest entities in the Marvel cosmos. With Thanos threatening the universe, the all-powerful Galactus, Stranger, Kronos, Master Order, Lord Chaos, Love, Hate, and Celestials unite to stop him. Even Mephisto and Lady Death battle Thanos. Their fight shakes the fabric of reality as all these cosmic gods battle the Mad Titan. Finally, after Thanos defeated them all, Eternity himself, the omnipotent personification of the universe, challenged Thanos for the fate of existence. Eventually, Thanos reigns victorious. It’s an incredible battle in which these beings are at their full might.

4) Adam Warlock Ends the Conflict

Throughout the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, Adam Warlock is the chess master who rallies heroes and gods in his crusade against Thanos. He even convinced Thanos to help them stop Nebula after she obtained the Gauntlet and became a threat to the universe. With his connection to the Soul Stone, Adam made Nebula drop the Gauntlet. Thanos, Doctor Strange, Nebula, Hulk, Thor, Starfox, and Drax then all fight each other to get the Gauntlet. However, in the end, it’s Adam who acquires the Gauntlet and ends the conflict. After so much chaos and death, it makes sense that Adam would have the willpower and wisdom to wield the Gauntlet safely.

3) The Superhero Massacre

When the universe loses half of its population, the remaining heroes of Earth assemble to commence a counterattack against Thanos. Under Adam Warlock and Doctor Strange’s leadership, over a dozen superheroes attack Thanos. The Mad Titan even restricts his omnipotence to make the battle more interesting. However, after so much buildup, the battle was nothing short of a massacre. Thor was turned to glass, Scarlet Witch was vaporized, Spider-Man was bludgeoned to death, Iron Man got his head ripped off, Nova was turned into blocks, Cyclops suffocated, Wolverine’s bones were turned to rubber, and more. It was a horrifying subversion of what readers expected from this battle, leaving them feeling overwhelming hopelessness and dread.

2) Captain America’s Last Stand

There are few moments that best exemplify what it means to be a hero than Captain America’s defiance against Thanos. After almost all his teammates were effortlessly slaughtered, the leader of the Avengers got right back up and stared down their sadistic killer. Even though Captain America stood no chance at defeating Thanos, he still fought with all his heart because it was the right thing to do. The fight nearly gave Silver Surfer the chance to snatch the Gauntlet from Thanos, but he missed. Having nearly lost his godhood, Thanos casually snapped Captain America’s neck, killing him. Even though he failed, Captain America’s actions perfectly convey why he is a symbol of hope and freedom who will fight tyranny to the bitter end.

1) The Snap

With just the snap of his fingers, Thanos cemented himself as one of the most powerful and terrifying villains in comic book history. Unlike in the films, Thanos’ motivation to acquire the Infinity Gauntlet was to win the heart of Lady Death by being able to kill half of all life in the universe. Despite his success, she scorned Thanos. Nonetheless, the demon Mephisto reminded Thanos of his original promise. So, to display his unlimited power and devotion to Lady Death, Thanos snapped his fingers. In an instant, trillions of lives faded into nothingness. Countless iconic heroes were also killed. Thanos’ snap and the resulting genocide is the most iconic disaster in comics and set the tone for the rest of this incredible series with universal stakes.

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